andyg

It would seem richardsons new fleet additions are going down to well with there customers. Tranquila has virtually no bookings for this season according to there own availability Calendar. With plenty of availability on two of the other boats. Not sure why as most if not all the platinum fleet is very heavily booked for the season. That's a lot of money to have sitting about. I could see some price reductions coming on here.

Exactly what my wife suggested. Thanks 👌

Hi guys, as potential new owners my wife asked me a question today and I really didn't know the right answer. Should you drain the boats fresh water tank over the winter months ?? And then flush it through once you start using the boat after the winter ?? What do you guys do ??

Rather then start a new thread I thought I'd post this here. Woods are offering a 15% discount for boats hired in March. We've also benefited from the additional 10% blue light card discount offered by Woods ( I'm not sure if they are offering the blue light card this year ) but a potential 25% discount is very tempting.

We arrived at our caravan at havens hopton last Sept and the engineer was just finishing the gas safety check. Reception thought he had already finished it. He told us it was a year long job for him going from van to van, so I assume !! It's the same for boats. That said boats heat there water by other means then gas so it's only the cooker/hob. I know brinks are fitting electric oven type things into all there new boats.

Hi Alan I think but not 100% sure most hire craft have air vents in the roof above the hobs fitted. I always make sure there is some form of air flow. The last couple of Richardson's boat I've hired have has a small window fixed open in the galley.

I got told off by the owner of go boating about using the hob to warm the boat. It was a particularly cold Easter and the heater just couldn't keep the boat warm. We went through an unusual amount of gas for a 4 day break. 😁😁😁

Agreed like I said fumes are not on and potentially dangerous. It is difficult this time of the year as it always has been tbf. Folk coming out of a nice warm pub, restaurant not quite ready to end there evening. I guess the only answer is to have all boats fitted with shore power and 100s more hock up posts. Society is so different today and most expect facilities at the end of there fingers 24/7. Personally I believe your never cure the problem/ issue whilst boats are packed in like they are. Folk living right ontop of each other has never worked and there will always be the ones that only think of themselves. Anyway got pop off need to fire up my old engine get the night heater on put radio on. Happy boating yall 💓

Not the old running engines after 8 chestnut, this subject pops up year after year. Last year we hired one of herbert woods flagships. Fitted with all the latest technologies, blar blar. Well it didn't do what it said on the tin unfortunately, sadly the shore power system we had aboard we couldn't use as either we couldn't get near enough to a post or the post wasn't working. We even had one boat owner refuse to move/ swap spots with us so we could reach the post he wasn't using. So sometimes it's necessary to run engines, or would you expect us to sit in a cold dark boat ?? For me the only time it becomes a major issue is when I'm being filled up with fumes from the engine etc, now that is a problem. Can't say in over 45 years of visiting the broads ive ever been kept awake or woken up by an engine running. Been woken up by plenty of swans ducks and trains lol maybe we should ban them between certain hours. Chill Andrew your on holiday...

We've just recovered from our 2nd bout of covid, unfortunately it spread right through the whole family this time. Two of our grandchildren had it as well. To be honest the children and our son were fine just very mild cold like symptoms. Me the wife and daughter didn't fair so well. All of us have had our boosters, getting fed up to the back teeth with covid now. I'm really not sure if I want a 4th jab, I'm not anti the vaccine I'm just struggling to see where this all ends.

Looking through the webcams there does seem to be fair few hire boats out this week. Beautiful sunny day as well. Enjoy

Who knows lol..

I think we should be ok, I've checked the tides. But like with all plans I do have a plan b. From what I remember and what I've seen. It's more the groups of pedestrians rather then the traffic, that would keep me awake. I'm normally up around 5am ( even on holiday unfortunately) so the early morning thing wouldn't bother me.

We stayed at the Nelson( premier inn )a few times last year. We often sat out on the patio area next to the river at the end of the night. It's still very busy along there at 11/12 o'clock at night. I'm a light sleeper so I don't think I'd get a good night's sleep staying at the yacht station. Hopefully we can get under the bridge at Thorpe. I'd love to stay there for the night.

Thanks for the heads up, just checked them out online, seems like a contender. I'm sure we looked at this restaurant last year when staying in Norwich. I can't remember why we never went now. Thanks.

Nothing ventured nothing gain griff,fair play to the guy for giving it ago. From what I remember he was gradually improving the boats he had and like you say was planning new boats as well.

I knew there was at least one other Pedro's site, but I thought it was in the lake district and a guesthouse/ b&b. I'm sure I read it on there website. It's a shame his broads adventure is over is what I meant. I know he had big ambitions for the bbc fleet. But hopefully his new venture will succeed. Like I said I've only ever heard good things about Pedro's @ acle so it's a shame another well thought of business has gone.

We are on golden bridge so the bridge shouldn't be a problem, I've check heights etc. Fingers crossed. We had dazzling light last year, someone had tried to take it under a low bridge the week before. Made rather a mess of the upper helm position. New helm screen damaged even the upper helm seat got damaged.

The site is still owned by the Richardson's family apparently, who knows. Can't ever see it being a viable hire base without some considerable investment. No workshop to speak of really. Limited facilities etc. Time will tell. I had hoped it would return but sadly not to be. I'd only ever heard good things about the restaurant and it seemed very popular. No idea if the owner was the guy who ran the bbc as well. But it all seems to have gone belly up for him sadly.

I wouldn't stay at the yacht station, agreed to noisy. Back to commissioner's cut for the night. Then short cab ride into Norwich to a fav curry house of ours. Posh night out where we come from lol.

Well it's official, Pedro's owners have announced what most of us already knew. It's permanently closed, they have said the site wasn't viable any longer with increased landlord, energy and rate costs. Shame.

Stop it, your start my twitch going. Note to self.....avoid Oulton broad at all costs....

No gonna get a lot back out of my 150 quid fuel deposit then 😉

See that's the thing, my wife isn't really into doing the shopping thing, until it come to places like lathams or gift shops. She seems to have some kind of mental breakdown and just goes crazy. We went to dunns river falls in Jamaica a few years back. We were the only couple on the boat to come away with a $10 jerk chicken gift set. I told her I could buy the same thing in asda for 1.99 she wasn't having any off it lol. I start to get a nervous twitch everytime we go anywhere near hoverton or potter now. I've even started hiring smaller boats so she hasn't got space to fill up with cr..p.

Oh were not out for a few weeks yet, just got my planning head on.